Writing-tablet



(No Model.)

J. I. CARR. Writing Tablet.

No. 233,069. Patented Oct. 12,1880.

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MFETERS, FHOTO-LITKOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C,

tlnrrnn seam a'rnnr @rrre JOHN I. CARE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WRITING-TABLET.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 238,069, dated October 12, 1880.

Application filed June 21, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN Invm CARR, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Writing-Tablets, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a writing-tablet embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the upper part thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken at the plane of the line at as of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail, in perspective, of the clasps and of the means employed for controlling them.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents the base of the tablet, which may consist either of a suitable neat and light board or of straw-board or other similar material nicely covered or finished.

B is a cleat or bar extending across, or nearly across, the upper part of the front face of the base A, and arranged at, or nearly at, right angles to the lateral edges thereof, it being understood that the base A is, by preference, in the form of a parallelogram, substantially as shown.

C is a cleat or bar extending downward from the cleat or bar B in a line at, or nearly at, right angles thereto, and meeting, by preference, the left-hand end thereof, as shown.

The cleats B and 0 should be rigidly attached to the base A, an d their inner edges, a a, should stand vertically above the part A to a height equal to the thickness of a considerable number of sheets of writing-paper as arranged on the tablet, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

D is a rocking bar or rod extending longitudinally along the bar 13, and E E are clasping arms or fingers extending from the bar D. This rocking bar turns in suitable bearings, such as the boxes F F, the latter of which also serves as a cornerplate at the junction of the bars B and (J.

The barB may be countersunk to receive the bar D more or less, if desired. That end of the bar D which enters the box F is bent downward, as shown at b, and the part 1) serves as a cr'anlearm.

Gr is a sliding bar lying in or along the bar O, and jointed at its upper end to the arm I),

(No model.)

as represented, so that the barD may be rocked and the fingers or olasps E E raised and low ered by sliding the bar Gr back and forth.

H is a curved projection or finger-pull ex tending from the upper face of the bar G, and I is a shoulder projecting downward from the said bar. Both the'said projections are arranged near the lower end or part of the bar G, as shown.

Jis an open spiral spring arranged between the shoulder I and a fixed shoulder, J, arranged as shown with relation to the shoulder I. l

K is a thumb-rest rigidly applied to the lower part of the tablet, and arranged as shown with relation to the part H.

That part of the upper face or surface of the base A bordered by the bars B and I) may be covered, if deemed best, by one or more sheets of blotting-paper.

L is a small box, provided with a lid and adapted to be locked. This box I fasten to the upper end or head of the tablet. The box L is divided into compartments adapted to receive, respectively, a number of envelopes, penholders, pens, ink bottles, and other writing utensils. The box L, however, is not an essential part of the tablet; but by using it in connection therewith a suitable receptacle for the writing materials is always conveniently accessible, and the writing materials may thus be compactly arranged or packed away with the tablet in a trunk or otherwise without danger of being scattered about among the other contents of the trunk.

To use my improved tablet I proceed as follows: I take a number of detached or loose sheets of writing-paper-as many, for example, as may be well or conveniently arranged underneath the clasps E E when thelatter are raised to not quite their highest elevation. To raise the clasps E E to receive the writingsheets, I place the thumb of the left hand against'the fixed rest K and the forefinger of the same hand in front of the projection H. I then draw the part H toward the thumb-rest, thus raising the clasps E E. I then place the sheets, which I hold in my right hand, underneath the raised clasps, and by tapping the outer or exposed edges of the sheets lightly push the other edges up evenly against the bars B and 0, thus causing the sheets to be nicely arranged in the tablet. I then release the finger-pull, when the clasps will descend upon and firmly pinch the upper ends of the sheets and hold them firmly in place.

If the sheets should be disarranged by removing a sheet that has been written upon, they may be very easily rearranged in the manner described, the inner edges of the bars B and O forming shoulders, against which they may be pushed and which regulate their position.

The rest K and finger-pull H not only enable me to raise and lower the clasps with facility, but by being arranged at the lower end or part of the tablet enable me to easily control the clasps.

A hook or eye, M, may be attached to the tablet to admit of its being hung in any convenient place when not in use.

It may also be stated that the bars or cleats B and O prevent the tablet from being warped.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.lflhe combination, in a writing-tablet, of the base A, the rectangularly-arra-nged cleats or bars B and O on the face of the said base, and one or more yielding fingers or clasps, E

'E, also arranged on the face of the said base,

for the purpose of thereby facilitating the even arrangement of the sheets on the tablet and holding them removably in place when so arranged, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a writing-tablet, of the rocking bar D, having thereon one or more clasping-fingers, E E, and the yielding; sliding bar G, jointed to the bar D and carrying the projection H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, in a writing-tablet, of the rocking bar D, having thereon one or more clasping fingers, E E, the yielding sliding bar G, jointed to the bar D and carrying the finger-pull H, and the fixed thumb-rest K, all arranged and operating together substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination, in a Writing-tablet, ot' the tilting yielding clasps E E, one or more, and a sliding bar operating in connection with the said clasps, for the purpose of thereby controlling their position, substantially as specified.

JOHN IRVIN CARR.

Witnesses:

F. F. WARNER, W. S. BAKER. 

